Rocktoberfest!!! Die Toten Hosen's Kauf Mich!

Sie haben sich enstschieden fur ein Produkt as unserm Haus

I don't speak German but I like Die Toten Hosen quite a lot. Kauf Mich! (Buy Me!) is a fun sounding album and the band members are very musically accomplished. I was hoping the name translated into English was "tight trousers" as an homage to the faux four band The Rutles. Apparently it means dead trousers, a German expression meaning a place with nothing, literally the "dead pants". On Kauf Mich! there is a sing song soccer anthem/biergarden quality to a lot of the of the songs. The album actually walks a tight rope between metal and punk--sometimes they remind me a bit of Bon Jovi with the vocals and guitar flourishes (Hot Clip Video Club). I don't doubt their convictions though, because these guys have been putting out the punk rock for more than twenty years and to be fair, their songs are in a myriad of styles. The only album in English is the English Lessons Album, where they do versions of punk songs by bands they admire, with the original singers on vocals. They are one of the few German punk bands to have found popularity internationally.

Apparently Kauf Mich! is an album where the band addresses issues in German society, such as Aids, Racism, Intolerance. Throughout the album there are ads interspersed, probably sarcastically lampooning topics. This is another example of a band that plays a jolly sing-along like Drunter Drauf und Druber, but lyrically they are probably more addressing serious issues. But despite that it seems that these guys have an abundant sense of humor as can be seen in a song like Rambo Dance. Sasch...Ein aufrecther Deutscher is a  harsh indictment of German racism wrapped in a punk polka.

On Lead Vocals is Campino. Lead Guitar is Breit, with Kuddel on Rhythm Guitar and Andi and Wolli on Bass and Drums respectively. I am listening to this album again as I am writing this post and I can't believe what a good album this is. Perfect to drink beers with. Prost!